Politicians get rich at taxpayer expense

By Jeff Ward

It isn’t often that “60 Minutes” pays a visit to this Illinois political backwater. And with senior correspondent Steve Kroft no less! Had it been Scott Pelley, we’d all have hung our heads in shame at the thought of having to endure all those Chicago Democratic machine sneers, taunts and giggles.

Because when it comes to political graft, corruption and insider trading, there’s first place and there’s no place. I keep trying to tell you all that Cook ain’t got nothin’ on Kane and Kendall counties, and what better proves that point more than a Sunday 6 p.m. CBS-TV news show segment.

In a piece titled “Insiders,” Kroft juxtaposed the fact that, while Martha Stewart goes to jail for insider trading, if our staunchest elected defenders of the faith do the same thing, they get rich.